Vending machine



' Oct. 19,1926. 1,603,576

I D. H. BEELMAN VENDING MACHINE Filed July 23. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOE BY #7770/9 Y ocr. 19 me. 1,603,516

D. H. BEELMAN l VENDING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 sPatented Oct. 19, 1926.

narran stares DAVD E-I. BEELIEN, 0F YO'UNGSTOWN, OHIO.

VENDENG MACHINE.

Application filed July 23,

This invention relates to vending machines, and has for its primaryobject to provide an improved construction, combination andarrai'igement of parts in a device of this character, according to whichit can be simply and economically constructed, and which will be durablein service and eflicient in operation.

itsV will hereinafter appear my present invention contemplates a vendingmachine provided with improved article-discharging mechanism comprisinga sprocket wheel and chain turned by means of pawl and ratchet operatedby an oscillating-rotary shaft, the sprocket-chain having lugs orpushers to deliver the articles successively from the bottom of a stackon each complete movement ofthe shaft by the operating lever, andincludes an auxiliary pawl and ratchet device for preventing a backwardmovement of the shaft in either direction until a full stroke of thelever is completed for the delivery of a single article after the shaftis released by coin-controlled mechanism such as illustrated in thisapplication and which forms the subject-matter of a divisionalapplication tiled November 9, 1925, Serial Number 67,779.

Other and further objects will appear in the specification, and loespecifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings exemplifying the invention, and in which,

F 1. is a front elevation of the device.

F 'is a side elevation of the device.

' Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 8 of Figure l.

4 is a detailed view showing manner of attaching operating lever.

Fig. 5 is a sectional cross section taken on line. 5--5 of Figure a.

Fig. (i is a side view of the coin-controlled n'iechanism, with theparts in normal position; Fig. 7 is a similar view with the partsreleased by a coin; Fig. 8 is a. side view of the supporting plate ofthe coin-controlled mechanism; Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line9-9 of Fig. 6; Figs. 10 and 11 are side and edge views respectively ofthe pivoted dog)l :forming part of the releasing mechanism; F ig. 12 isa side elevation showing the connected sprocket and ratchet wheels ot'the article discharging mechanism; Fig. 13 is a front elevation, partlyin section, showing parts of the article discharging mechanism 1923.Serial No. 653,057.

and pawl and ratchet device to compel a,

full lever stroke in either direction; Fig. 14 is an elevation of thepawl and ratchet device;

Fig. 15 is an interior View of the device with back removed.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of Figure 15.

Fig. 17 is an enlarged detailed view showing a side view of Figure 16.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and, for the salie ofconvenience in disclosing my invention, confining my description moreexpressly to the adaptation shown in the drawings, the preferred form ofmy vending machine comprises an outer housing 1, with two small showwindows 2 occupying a position slightly below the center of thehousing 1. and near coin slots 3 which are located at the side edges ofthe front portion of the housing 1. These show windows are used for thepurpose of indicating whether the housing` is supplied with articles tobe vended.` The housing is provided with two eompartn'ients for thearticles to be vended by the machine, said compartments being separatedby a partition 72 and each having a side wall 15 spaced from thevadjoining side wall of the housing to accommodate coin chutes 14leading from the coinslots 3 to the coin-controlled mechanism locatedbelow the bottom 27 of the compartments and alongside of thearticle-'discharging mechanism. Entrance to the compartments and spacebelow the same is accomplished in the manner usual in vending machinesof this general type, that is by swinging the front portion 1 of thehousing on a baclt portion or wall plate. 5, the latter providing themeans for attaching the machine to a support, and the front and back areconneet-ed at one side by a long hinge 12 (Fig. 2) and are fastenedtogether by a hasp 8.

By referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that l have provided arectangular opening 16 at the lower end of the front of the housing forthe purpose of allowing the article vended to be withdrawn. This` may bedone by inserting lingers in the lower opening 17, lifting up slightlyso article may pass easily through the rectangular opening 16. Byreferring to Figure 3 it will be seen that the device has an inclinedslide 18 which is secured to the bottom of the housing 1 and has edgessecured to the end Walls of said lill) ilo housing. The housing 1 isprovided with a lower' projection 21 which extends outwardly at rightangles to the body portion 22. This extension 21 is formed tor thepurpose of allowing the article vended to pass down the incline slide 18and to take a position ready tor removing as above mentioned anddescribed. At point Q3 there is provided a securing arm Q1 to which ishinged an apron 25, the lower edge ot which comes in contact with point26 on the incline slide 18. This apron is used ior the purpose ot'preventing any unauthorized attempt to disturb or withdraw any articleto be vended which has been placed in an orderly way on a shelil Q7 (seeFigure 3). By referring to Figures 1 and 15, it will be seen that thedevice is provided with two operating levers 28 each ot which is securedto a rock-shaft Q9 corresponding p'ats in each ol the two ejectorunitsbeing designated by the same numeral. By referring to Figures l and5 it will be seen that these operating levers Q8 are secured to therock-shaft 29 by slipping a collar portion 30 over the rock-shaft 29which has a liattened portion 31 in order to keep the operating lever 28't'rom turning on the shaft. In order to secure these operating levers28 to the rock-shaft 29, the collar 3U is provided with two oppositelydisposed grooves 3Q tor the reception oit bifurcated key-plate 33 whichis sprung on in order that they may retain their position. The device isoperated in the following manner j This rock-shaft 29 is supported bystandards 84 and 35. By ret'erring to Figure 9 it will be seen that thedevice is provided with two similar sets ot mechanisms each actuatedindependently by a rock-hatt 29 to provide separate coin-controlled andarticle-discharging mechanisms Jfor each compartment, and saidmechanisms being alike in construction a description of those relatingto one compartment will refer also to those ot the other compartment, itbeing understood that one set is what might be teri'ned right-hand, andthe other lett-hand, but the co-operating elements are the saine andfunction alikek in each instance. A standard is secured to the bottom 19ot the housing 1 by means ot the intnrned flange 36 and by means of theinturned flange 3T" to.the shelf or bottom 27 of the compartments7 andto this standard the coin-controlled mechanism is attached, or mountedthereon, for cooperating with the .shaft 29.

The coin-controlled mechanism is mount-v ed upon the body portion ot'the standard which has a vertical passageway for the coin to passthrough and finally drop out oi the lower end thereof, and 'lor thepurpose ot providing this passageway said body portion is preferablymade up oit three plates, 46, el? and 48, in addition to the plate otthe standard; plate 46 being the outside or front plate while plates 117and 48 are interposed between it and the standard and spaced apart fromeach other to provide the passageway withthe inner edge of plate 47recessed in the arc of a circle, at 89, to provide a coin-pocketcooperating with a pivoted dog 1-1 also located in the passageway-thecoin passing between said pocket and dog to move the latter laterally inreleasing a locl ing lever a3 through the instrumentality of thcmechanism hereinafter described. The iront plate lo is provided with acurved slot 57 in which plays a cam l1a secured to or formed integrallywith the tace of the dog and projecting through said slotbeyond,

the same so that an oppositely inclined rearward projection 58 ol saidcam may operato a trip-.lever 59 pivoted on said support. curved slot 57terminates at its lower endin a notch Lt5 in which engages the lowerrounded end Ll() or the cam 41a when the dog is in normal position toroperation by the coin. The dog is pivoted at its upper end between theupper ends ot locking lever 43 and come panion lever-arm del. by meansot a pin l2- the levers being positioned at the front and back ot thesupportwand so as to not intertere with the swinging movement of theselevers the 'aforesaid connecting pin passes through a slot 71 in thestandard curved in the arc of a circle the axis of which is the tulcrumot the levers. The lever-arms extend below the 'fulcrum and at theirlower ends are connected by link 53 to an arm 51 liXed to the mainoperating shalt 29, which also passes through the support; said shaitand tulcrum pin being on the same horizontal plane whereby swingingmovement oic the arm 51 will be communicated to the lever-arms, andlever-arms are locked the shaft will be locked. Lever-arm 13 constitutesthe locking-lever ot the coin-controlled mechanism. and tor this purposethe upper end thereot is engaged by the torward hook-end 65 ot a catch61 pivoted on the support at 63 and having a forwardly-projectingtail-piece 69 which is engaged by the trip-lever 59, hereinbetorementioned, this trip-lever being pivoted at G0 and having a rearwardeXtension to which is attached a coiled spring 67 exerting a slighttension to litt the forward end ot said lever against the tail-piece oithe catch. There is also a light flat spring G6 exerting a very lighttension on the catch that will not interfere with the operation oi' saidcatch by the weight of 'a coin operating the dog, trip-lever and catch;that is to say, when the coin passes down the passageway 5.7 and nievesthe dog rearward on entering the pocket 39 said dog will litt theforward end of trip-lever 59 which in turn lifts the catch 61 byengaging the tail-piece 69 tov disengage the hook-end 55 of said catchThe consequently when the from the locking-lever 43,v thus releasingsaid locking-lever and permitting the operating shaft 29 to be turned.As the operating shaft is turned the upper end of the lockinglever isswung forward carrying the dog with it and'after the cam-projection 58on the dog passes the forward end of the tripping-lever both thetripping-lever and catch will be returned to normal position `by thesprings 67 and 66, so thaton the return of the dog to the lower end ofthe curved slot 57on the return stroke of operating-handle 28 of shaftS29-the aforesaid cam-projection 58 will pass the yielding`tripping-lever and the end 40 of the cam again engage the notch 45.During this oper-ation, or return of the 'dog7 the catch is held inposition to function with the upper end of the lever by means of astop-pin 64, that is to say, when the dog slightly depresses the forwardend of the tripping-lever in passing the same it will not affect theposition of the catch bearing on said tripping-lever. As the dog iscarried upward by the lockingelever it releases the coin so that it willfall out of the lower end of the passageway, between the operating shaft29 and fulcrum pin 56, on to the bottom ofthe housing. From theforegoing the operation of the coin-controlled mechanism for locking themain operating shaft and releasing the same on the insertion cfa coinwill be understood, and I will now proceed to describe the means forcompelling a full stroke ofthe operating lever in bo-th directions andthe cooperating articledischarging` mechanism forming the principalsubject-matter of this application.

By referring to Figure 15 it will be seen that the housing l is providedin its upper vportion with a partition 72 for the purpose oaf dividingthe upper Space of the housing 1 into two compartments for the receptionof goods to be vended. The lower end of the partition 72 rests upon theshelf 27 and the latter is provided with a depression 73 in the centerof each compartment above referred to. This depression 73 is utilizedfor the purpose of providing ay run-way for a sprocket chain 74 providedwith lugs Vor pushers 7 5 formed on said chain.

Referring to Figure 17 the chain 74 is shown and the means for causingthe same to move will be now described. It will be remembered that therock-shaft 29 moves in an anti-clockwise direction when the operatinglever 28 is pulled downwardly. Keyed to this rockssh'aft 29 is an arm7G- the outer end 77 of which is provided with a pawl 78 engaging aratchet wheel 79 secured to a sprocket wheel 80, said sprocket wheelcarrying the chain 74. The lugs or pushers are uniformly spaced apartupon the chain 74 in such distances that when the chain has been causedto move by one movement of the operating lever 28 another set of lugs orpushers 75 will be positionedin the same position relative to the shelf27 so that the second article to be vended will lodge between the lugsor pushers of that port-ion of the chain directly above the shelf 27. fIt will also be seen that I have provided an idler 81 positioned so asto carry the chain 74 on a level with the depression 73 formed in theshelf and that a second idler 82 is oppositely disposed from the idler81 on standards 83 secured to the bottom 19 of the housing 1.

There is a pawl 84 functioning with ratchet wheel 79, said pawl beingsecured to the bottom portion of that part of the shelf forming thedepression 73 and prevents reverse movement of the ratchet wheel andsprocket wheel. The ratchet wheel 79 and sprocket wheel are connectedtogether and loosely mounted on therock-shaftv29. It

will also be seen that there has been proa vided a ratchet wheel87 whichis keyedfto the rock-shaft 29, and cooperates with spaced apart pawls 88and 89 alternately engaging the ratchetwheel to prevent backwardmovement of the shaft when the latter is being turned in eitherdirection, said pawls being positioned directly above the ratchet wheel87 and pivotally connected to a hanger 90. These pawls 88 and 89 aremoved in `relation to the ratchet-wheel by means of a` coil spring 91.By again referring to Figure 14 it will be seen that the pawl 88 isengaged with the ratchet-wheel 87, which indicates that the machine isin locked position. As the ratchet-'wheel turns with the rock-shaft 29,a trip pin thereon 92 comes in contact with the tail-piece 93 of atappet member 94 causing the latter to disengage pawl 88, the upperportion orcross head of said tappet-member then permitting pawl 89 toengage the ratchet-wheel. A spring 95 is secured to the lower end of thelever portion 86 of the ratchet wheel and to a bracket 96 fastened tothe bottom 19 of the housing to cause the check lever and ratchet wheelto ily back to the position shown in Figure l. lVhenthe pawl 88 has beendisengaged kas above described the double acting tappet member 94 hasallowed the pawl 89 to function with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 87thereby insuring the machine from reverse action and continues tofunction until a second trip pin 97 engages the trip arm 93 when thepawl 89 is caused to disengageV and the pawl 88 to engage. The doubleacting tappet member 94 is pivotally secured to the hanger 90 by meansof a pin 98.

One of the essentialfeatures of a vending machine is to providesafeguards so that the device cannot be operated without unlocking themechanism by coin. In order to safeguard this device againstunauthorized or irregular movement, it will be seen that I have providedthe alternating and automatic pawls which function with the ratchetwheel87 in such a way as to check any undesired reverse movement of therock-shaft 29, that is to say the pawl and ratchet devices consisting ofthe ratchet-wheel 87 and alternately engaging pawls S8, 89, inconjunction with the operating shaft 29, cooperate with the articledelivering mechanism to insure a regular movement of the combinedsprocket and ratchet wheel in delivering an article from the bottom ofthe stack, and also cooperate with the coin controlled mechanism incompelling a full movement of the locking-lever 43 in both directions-tofirst release coin 38 after it has operated dog 41 to release said lever43 (Fig. 7 and then fully return the lever to normal or locked position(Fig. 6) in which it is engaged by catch 61 with the pivoted dog 41returned to normal position for operation by another coin. Thisoperation is repeat-ed every time the mechanism is caused to operate bythe placement of the coin 38 against the coin-pocket 39. By referring toFigure 6 it will be understood that when the pivoted dog 41hasbeenfforced `back by reason of the point 40 traveling on thecircumference of the coin 38 until it has passed the center portion ofthe coin, the coin is released and drops down on to the bottom 19 of thehousing 1.

By referring to Figure 16 it will be seen that I have utilized a coilspring 99 which is secured to the outer end 77 of the arm 76 and to thepawl 78 for the purpose of insuring the proper functioning of said pawl,that I have provided a spacer 100 and 101 for the purpose of holding theparts positioned on the rock-shaft 29 from displacement. It will also beseen that a collar 102 is positioned on the rock-shaft 29 adjacent tothe hanger 90, and that there is provided this hanger 90 secured by aflange 103 to the shelf 27 at point 104. The rock-shaft 29 is supportedat-point 105-on the hanger 90.

By referring to Figure 3 it will be seen that guides 106 and 107 havebeen provided for the guiding of the articles to be vended. The guide106 is secured to the housing 1 by means of the bracket 108. The guide107 is slidably maintained upon the brackets 109 so that adjustment maybe made to suit the thickness of the article placed upon the shelf 27.

. Vhat- I claim is 1. A vending machine comprising a housing having ashelf on which articles are stacked, a runway below the shelf, asprocket-wheel below the runway, a sprocketchain driven by saidsprocket-wheel and having a portion thereof beyond the sprocketwheeltravelling on the runway and supported thereby below the plane of theshelf, and spaced apart pushers on thev sprocketchain to project abovethe plane ofthe shelf; together' with means for turning thesprocket-wheel.

2. A vending machine comprising a housing having a shelf on whicharticle-s are stacked, a runway below the shelf, a sprocket-wheel belowthe runway, a sprocket-chain driven by said sprocketwheel and having aportion thereof beyond the sprocket-wheel travelling on the runway to besupported thereby below the plane of the shelf, an idle-roller supportedon a plane with the runway for guiding the sprocketchain from thesprocket-wheel to said runway, and spaced apart pushers on the.sprocket-chain to project above the plane of the shelf; together withmeans for turning the sprocket-wheel.

A vending machine comprising a housing having a shelf on which articlesare stacked, a runway below the shelf, a sprocket-wheel below therunway, a sprocket-chain driven by said sprocketwheel and having aportion thereof beyond the sprocket-wheel travelling on the runway to besupported thereby below the plane of the shelf, an idle-roller supportedon a plane with the runway for guiding the .sprocketchain from thesprocket-wheel to said runway, and a second idle-roller to receive thechain from the run-way and guide it back to the sprocket-wheel, thesprocket-chain having spaced apart pushers to project above the plane ofthe shelf; together with means 'for turning the sprocket-wheel.

4. A vending machine comprising a housing havinga shelf onv whicharticles are stacked, a runway below thie shelf, a sprocket-wheelloosely mounted on a .shaft below the runway and having a ratchetwheelattached to one side thereof, a sprocket-chain driven by saidsprocketwheel and having a portion thereof beyond the sprocket-wheeltravelling on the runway to be supported thereby below the plane of theshelf, and pushers carried by the sprocket-chain to project above theplane of the shelf; together with an arm lined to the shaft and carryinga pawl engaging the aforesaid ratchet-wheel, and means for controllingan oscillating-rotary motion of the shaft.

5. A vending machine comprising a housing having a shelf on whicharticles are stacked, a runway below the shelf, a sprocket-wheel looselymounted on a shaft below the runway and having a ratchetwheel attachedto one side thereof, a sprocket-chain driven by said sprocketwheel andhaving a portion thereof beyond the sprocket-wheel travelling on therunway to be supported thereby below the plane of the shelf, and pusherscarried by the sprocket-chain to project above the plane of the shelf,together with an arm xed to the shaft and carrying a pawl engaging theaforesaid ratchet-wheel, means for controlling an oscillating-rotarymotion of the shaft, and auxiliary ratchet and pawl mechanism to compelfull movement of the shaft in both directions before return movementthereof.

6. A vending machine comprising a housing having a shelf on whicharticles are stacked, a runway below the shelf, a sprocket-wheel belowthe runway and having a ratchet-wheel attached to one side thereof, ashaft on which the combined sprocket-wheel and ratchet-wheel is loosely7mounted, an arm fixed to the shaft and carrying a pawl engaging theratchet-wheel,I means for controlling an oscillating-rotary motion ofthe shaft, a ratchet-wheel fixed to the shaft, two pawls engaging Isaidratchetwheel, and means for moving said pawls alternately Iout ofengagement with' the ratchet-wheel for the oscillating-rotary motion ofthe shaft; together with a sprocketchain driven by the sprocket-wheeland having pushers which project above the plane of the shelf as saidsprocket-chain travels on the runway.

7. A vending machine comprising a housing having a shelf on whicharticles are stacked, a runway below the shelf, a sprocket-wheel belowthe runway and having a ratchet-wheel connected thereto, ashaft on whichthe connected sprocket-wheel and ratchet-wheel are loosely mounted, anarm fixed to the shaft and carrying a pawl engaging the ratchet-wheel,means for controlling an oscillating-rotary motion of the shaft toimpart a rotory motion tol the sprocket-wheel by the said pawl andratchet, and a .sprocket-chain driven by the sprocketwheel and carryingpushers, said sprocketchain travelling on the runway below the plane ofthe shelf and the pushers projecting above the plane of the shelf;together with a ratchet-wheel fixed to the aforesaid shaft, a paavl toprevent movement of the ratchet-wheel in one direction, a second pawl toprevent movement of the ratchetwheel in the other direction, a movablemem,- ber engaging the pawls alternately to hold them successively outof engagement with the ratchet-wheel on movement of the shaft inopposite directions, and means operated by the shaft for .so releasingthe pawls at the end of each complete movement of the shaft.

8. A vending machine comprising a housing having a shelf on whicharticles are stacked, a runway below the shelf, a sprocket-wheel belowthe runway and having a ratchet-wheel connected thereto, a shaft onwhich the connected sprocketwheel and ratchet-wheel are loosely mounted,an arm iiXed to the .shaft and carrying a pawl engaging theratchet-wheel, means for controlling an oscillating-rotary motion of theshaft to impart a rotary motion to the sprocket-wheel by said pawl andratchet, and a sprocket-chain driven by the sprocketwheel and carryingpushers, said sprocketchain travelling on the runway below the plane ofthe shelf and the pushers projecting above the shelf; together with aratchetwheel fixed to the aforesaid shaft, a pawl to prevent movement ofthe ratchet-wheel in one direction, a second pawl to prevent movement ofsaid ratchet-wheel in the other direction, a rocking-member interposedbetween the pawls and engaging them alternately to hold themsuccessively out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel on movement of theshaft in opposite directions, and pins on the ratchet-wheel for rockingsaid member on each complete movement of the shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

DAVID I-I. BEELMAN.

